The overall objectives for this grant are to identify factors that appear important in the synthesis and/or metabolism of elastin in lung. The isolation of soluble lung elastin from several differing animal species (chick, rat, or cat) is proposed in order to determine differences in selected properties between elastins from arterial and lung sources. Features of lung soluble elastin synthesis and its incorporation and maturation elastin fibers were to be examined. The changes elastin metabolism in response to lung injury by cadmium or ozone intoxication, cooper deficiency, or exposure to agents, such as bleomycin, is also to be investigated.